U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he sits subsequent to a “Trump Gold Card” signal, within the Oval Office on the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sept. 19, 2025.
Ken Cedeno | Reuters
Major know-how corporations and foreign governments are dashing to reply after President Donald Trump late Friday introduced plans to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, threatening to upend this system that underpins America’s know-how workforce.
The charge would apply to new H-1B candidates, not renewals or present visa holders, in accordance with a White House official. It will first apply within the subsequent upcoming lottery cycle, and it doesn’t apply to 2025 lottery winners, the particular person stated.
The transfer may deal a large blow to corporations — primarily within the know-how and finance sectors — that rely closely on extremely expert immigrants, notably from India and China.
The announcement despatched shockwaves by company America. Amazon’s immigration crew suggested its H-1B and H-4 visa holders to stay within the U.S. and for these abroad to return earlier than 12:01 a.m. ET on Sept. 21, in accordance with inside messages seen by CNBC.
JPMorgan Chase’s legislation agency despatched a memo asking H-1B visa holders on the agency to stay within the U.S. and keep away from worldwide journey till additional steerage, in accordance with an individual conversant in the matter.
Microsoft additionally has reportedly suggested H-1B visa holders to stay within the U.S. and for these abroad to return, warning that worldwide journey may jeopardize their immigration standing, in accordance with emails seen by Reuters.
The transfer represents the administration’s most aggressive transfer but to limit authorized immigration. Since taking workplace in January, Trump has superior a broad crackdown on each unlawful and authorized entry into the U.S., however Friday’s announcement marks probably the most important try to clamp down on employment visas.
Amazon employed probably the most H-1B holders — greater than 14,000 as of the tip of June. Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google had over 4,000 such visas every, among the many prime 10 recipients for the fiscal yr 2025.
CNBC has reached out to all the public corporations on the highest 10 H-1B recipient checklist for remark. The White House did not instantly reply to an e mail asking for remark.
“President Trump promised to put American workers first, and this commonsense action does just that by discouraging companies from spamming the system and driving down wages,” Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman informed CNBC. “It also gives certainty to American businesses who actually want to bring high-skilled workers to our great country but have been trampled on by abuses of the system.”
‘Humanitarian penalties’
The announcement additionally disrupted the established order abroad, the place foreign governments scrambled to evaluate the impression of the brand new guidelines on their international locations.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated it’s learning the visa restrictions and their implications, stressing that each Indian and U.S. industries share an curiosity in sustaining competitiveness in innovation. It additionally highlighted the doubtless disruption to particular person households.
“This measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families. Government hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated in a press release.
South Korea’s foreign ministry additionally stated it’s assessing the implications for Korean corporations and expert employees.
Below is a searchable checklist of the highest 100 U.S. corporations which have been H1-B recipients in fiscal yr 2025.
— CNBC’s Annie Palmer contributed to this report.